Stick and Ball Puzzle

I like puzzles. That one is inspired by a puzzle I saw on a yard sale. When I got back home I thought why not create the model and build one. Originaly I used wood to create it since back them I did not have a 3D Printer, but now I do.

The puzzle is not that difficult to assemble, that means once you have got the trick ;)

So for easier understanding how to put it together the picture shows you the parts in different colors and they are named and quantities are mentioned on the mainview.

Small tip if you want to make it more difficult I suggest to use the same color for each part or even more difficult use another color for each part ^^. I used 2 colors for my wooden one so it has some sort of symmetry or design like style.

First you have to either mill or print the parts attached here in the respective quantities that are necessary to assemble the puzzle.

Here again the amount of each part:

• 8 times Stick_Puzzle_Long1

• 4 times Stick_Puzzle_Long2

• 6 times Stick_Puzzle_Ball

• 4 times Stick_Puzzle_Short1

• 8 times Stick_Puzzle_Short2

• 12 times Stick_Puzzle_Short3

Note: you have to sand the edges of the turning pieces so they fit thigly. The respective edegs are marked on the drawing.

You need 2 times a Stick_Puzzle_Long1 and 1 Stick_Puzzle_Long2. Notice the turning arrow on the blue stick in the picture it is possible to rotate the part so you can assemble it.

Take another Long1 and Long2 and interlock them lick in the picture.

Next take 1 Long1 and 2 times a Long2 and interlock them like in the picture.

Now take the remaing Long1 and interlock them on the bottom layer so they are assembled like in the picture. Note be carefull you have to again rotate the Long2 (blue) to interlock the second layer and to do so you allways to of the Long2 have to be rotated at once. Make sure that the already locked pieces do not fall out (that is the tricky thing to assemble it ;)

The picture shows you just where the balls have to be situated. Do not put them there yet. We will

Put in the top ball and take 2 pieces of each the Stick_Puzzle_Short1 and Stick_Puzzle_Short3 and interlock them so they are like in the picture. The method to do so is the same like for the long ones. As you can see in the picture the Short3 sticks are the once that turn in that case.

When you done that repeat the steps

When you finished assembling the whole thing should look like this :D maybe in different colors if not but everything matches you found another form to assemble it and I would be interested to see it.

Here are some impressions of my wooden puzzle a printed version will follow as soon as I get time to print it.

Like mentioned here a printed version. I printed it with a 40% scale, but I have to tell you that it's a realy tight fit and I would recommend not to print it that small so the gaps are sufficient to easy move and assemble the pieces.